Influences Of The East – The Bowes Museum
June 22nd – September 15th 2019
‘Influences Of The East’ brings together new and existing studio work with historic pieces from the oriental ceramic collection of The Bowes Museum, curated by Howard Coutts
For the exhibition I have created a new group of works that respond to examples of Clobber Ware. This 18th century phenomenon saw imported Blue & White ceramics from Japan and China ‘clobbered’ in Europe with brightly coloured low fired enamels. The works respond to this unusual layering of pattern and colour. They also develop my ongoing exploration of the Victorian pattern book ‘The Grammar of Ornament’ picking up on ornamental motifs from the Chinese section of the book.
I am grateful to Howard Coutts for introducing me to this aspect of The Bowes Museum’s ceramic collection. I would also like to thank Rosanna Nicholson at The National Museum of Scotland for allowing me access to examples of Clobber Ware from the world cultures collection.
The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, Co Durham DL12 8NP